Aesthetic medicine includes all treatments resulting in enhancing a visual appearance and satisfaction of the patient. Patients want to minimize all imperfections including body shape and effects of natural aging. Indeed, patients request quick, non-invasive procedures providing satisfactory results with minimal risks.
The most common methods used for non-invasive aesthetic applications are based on application of mechanical waves, e.g. ultrasound or shock wave therapy; or electromagnetic waves, e.g. radiofrequency treatment or light treatment, such as intense pulsed light or laser treatment. The effect of mechanical waves on tissue is based especially on cavitation, vibration and/or heat inducing effects. The effect of applications using electromagnetic waves is based especially on heat production in the biological structure.
Skin tissue is composed of three basic elements: epidermis, dermis and hypodermis or so called subcutis. The outer and also the thinnest layer of skin is the epidermis. The dermis consists of collagen, elastic tissue and reticular fibres. The hypodermis is the lowest layer of the skin and contains hair follicle roots, lymphatic vessels, collagen tissue, nerves and also fat forming a subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SWAT). The fat cells create lobules which are bounded by connective tissue, fibrous septa (retinaculum cutis).
Another part of adipose tissue, so called visceral fat, is located in the peritoneal cavity and forms visceral white adipose tissue (VWAT) located between parietal peritoneum and visceral peritoneum, closely below muscle fibres adjoining the hypodermis layer.